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Brentwood adopts objective design standards to speed housing review and preserve local character
Summary
The council adopted a citywide set of objective design standards for residential and mixed-use development to comply with state law, streamline ministerial approvals and preserve Brentwood—abric. The ordinance includes rules on site planning, building design, allowable architectural styles, and a new requirement that single-family transformers be subsurface.
The Brentwood City Council adopted an ordinance on June 23 formalizing Objective Design Standards (ODS) for residential and mixed-use development, converting prior design guidelines into measurable, ministerial standards. Principal Planner Jennifer Hagen and consultant Andrew Watkins (JZMK Partners) said the standards are intended to comply with recent state requirements, reduce subjective review, and preserve the city—oundational character while allowing predictable design review.
Why it matters: California law increasingly requires objective standards for certain housing approvals. The ODS gives the city clearer, enforceable rules for building massing, facade articulation, materials and landscaping so projects that meet the standards can move forward without discretionary hearings.
What the standards say: The six-chapter document covers site planning, site design (parking, bicycle circulation, pedestrian access), building design (massing, orientation, window alignment), architectural style definitions (Spanish, Mediterranean, Ranch, Craftsman, Queen Anne, Italian and Colonial) and landscape standards emphasizing fire-safe landscaping and irrigation. Staff recommended and council accepted several edits made after planning commission review, including removing a contemporary style category, increasing objectivity for materials and clarifying that single-family transformers shall be subsurface (underground) rather than pad-mounted.
Council discussion and amendments: Council discussed shade requirements for playgrounds; staff agreed to add language requiring shade structures for playgrounds within the ODS. Councilmembers also asked for clarifications about when three-story forms could apply to single-family parcels, how the standards interact with density-bonus waivers, and protections for neighborhood character when ministerial approvals are required.
Public process and vote: The ODS was developed through a multi-year public process (staff, consultants, planning commission and public review). After a public hearing and edits proposed by staff, the council introduced an ordinance and waived first reading; the motion (including the transformer and playground shade amendments) passed by unanimous roll call.
Next steps: Staff will implement the standards in the municipal code and incorporate them into development review processes. Council and staff said they will revisit any needed clarifications after implementation.
